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College football '11 (week 2, 9/8 - 9/10)

WEEK 2

Thurs, Sept. 8 Arizona at Oklahoma State: I'm excited about this game. I'll have to watch it on tape delay due to the Saints game but I wouldn't miss this CFB game. Both schools have been gradually moving up for the past 6 seasons, OkSt is getting more of the voter respect but I really see these teams being evenly matched. Ari has been building their program around D and I do feel they have the talent to stop the highly talented OkSt O. Either way this should be a good game.

Friday, Sept. 9Missouri at Arizona State: I'm never sold on mizzou and I seem to overhype AriSt. AriSt has a good program that never seems to win the games they need to win. They keep the games close, score a ton of points, but can't stop a soul in the 4th. Mizzou on the other is just not very impressive to me. I know they have good talent and coaching but I just don't ever see anything special about them. Since AriSt is at home I give them edge, but I wouldn't be surprised if this game is 45-47 with 20 seconds left to go.

Saturday, Sept. 10Iowa at Iowa State: I love these kinds of games and if you have been following this particular rivalry you know they have a brand new trophy design that is so bad they are throwing it out and making a new one. Now it's a shame when the biggest story surrounding your in state rivalry game is the trophy's poor design, but it is what it is. Still, you just don't see the kind of heart and drive in regular games, these are the games the kids grow up wanting to win. Lots of these kids played against each other in high school and this game will mean more to them than just a W or L.

Oregon State at Wisconsin: Another game I'm looking forward too. Wisc looks unrealistically good for being so early in the season. OreSt lost a very bad game to Sacramento St, yeah I know I didn't know they had a team either. It was an OT loss where SacSt went for two and won. It was gut wrenching for Ore St ... and bad news for the Pac12, losing that game means Ore St is going to destroy at least 2 teams' dreams during the season by taking that loss out on them. I wouldn't be surprised to see OreSt take Wisc to the 4th qtr, but I just can't believe Wisc won't win. I'll watch it, but I fully expect Wisc to walk away with an easy win.

Mississippi State at Auburn: This game, believe it or not, is more important to MissSt than for AU. MissSt is a team on the rise, and people are finally starting to take notice. I love what they have built there. AU is in fantasy mode, still smiling from the NC win ... and who could blame them? All teams have this issue after winning a title, it's just too hard to accomplish not to let it get to your head the following season. AU will be better prepared for MissSt than there were this week, and let's face it that was an embarrassing win for AU ... but hey, at least it was a win. MissSt looked to be in mid-season form against Memphis and I expect nothing less against AU. I expect a very physical game.

Alabama at Penn State: This is the GAME OF THE WEEK. PennSt is not as good as they were when this game was scheduled, Bama looks like Saban's version of Bama (hard hitting, solid O, etc). Everything seems to be pointing towards a Bama blowout. But it's still early in the season and if PennSt somehow scores early on Bama anything can happen. I want to say this will be a good game, bowl game like, but I really feel Bama is just too good for Penn St ... at least a Penn St that is not at it's best and is trying to replace some much needed talent.

California at Colorado: Both teams stink, that's not why I listed it ... this is a scheduling oddity. This game was scheduled before the PAC-12 and Colorado joined. So, this is not technically a conference game even though both teams are in the same conference. Weird, yet highly interesting ... like finding out the Michigan was "called".

Cincinnati at Tennessee: SEC, SEC, SEC. I hate these games. Tenn is a name school, beating them is fun regardless of if they are good or bad. And make no mistake, Tenn is very bad right now. Like much of the SEC East Tenn is rebuilding and restructuring their program. At Tenn they came to this realization 2 years ago, UGA is still ignoring their fate and pretending like Richt should be winning SEC titles ranked #1. I hate these games because Cinn can beat Tenn at Tenn. They have the talent to blow them out. The SEC is the best conference in football, no one will debate that if Tenn loses ... but let's face it, the best football conference top to bottom shouldn't lose games to a Cinn team that is still living off of talent long graduated. Cinn is rebuilding, but they are still better than Tenn in their current situation. I just don't want to see Tenn scrambling to beat Cinn, there is something just not right about it. And that's college football in the new era of scholly limits and equal talent. Depth usually separates conferences and teams, but it's a line that is blurring all the time.

Hawaii at Washington: I love Hawaii. I'm finally admitting it. When I moved to the west coast I used to get Hawaii games on cable at 9pm and I would watch them. They stunk, but fun to watch ... I even started to really like their announcers. Hawaii is no longer the little small school on the island trying to lure Jr college troublemakers. They are no longer happy with 3 wins. They are really good, not SEC good, but good. Wash will be a real test for them but I do expect Hawaii to win this game ... if nothing else I expect a good game.

Nevada at Oregon: If Oregon is ever going to lose back to back games this season this is the time for it to happen. I'm bias, Nevada is one of those programs I just like because I've seen them grow over the past decade. Ore should beat Nevada, but this is why they play the games .... I expect Nevada to put up a good fight and I wouldn't be surprised if they won. In fact, if Ore had beat LSU I would think the chances of Ore losing to Nevada would be much greater because Ore's focus would be a lot difference heading into the game. Instead LSU sort of embarrassed them on national TV so they will be super focused to play a Nevada team that I'm sure they are not overlooking. I'm looking forward to this game, if PennSt and Bama were not playing this would be my personal little game of the week.

South Carolina at Georgia: Oh boy. If you like drama then this is the game for you. Trust me, don't miss this game. SoCar needs this game to stay on track to win the SEC East (and this is honestly their best year and shot to do it). UGA needs to win to keep the program together, with a loss and 0-2 start Richt will be gone and long rebuilding process in the brutal SEC will begin in earnest. This game will have lots of emotion, it will be like a playoff game with so much on the line.

BYU at Texas: BYU can win this game. Texas has more talent but BYU just plays great team ball. Every BYU is ugly they are not that throw it around the field kind of team anymore, they score few points and beat you with their D. BYU also does well on the road. Texas is more than likely overlooking BYU so I fully expect BYU to give them a game.

Utah at USC: SC beat Minn by 2 pts last weekend and everyone is trying to pretend the win wasn't as ugly as it looked. Utah is primed for a good game and SC will have their hands full. Maybe it will get out of hand andSC will find their stride, but I just don't see that happening. SC's D is no longer as good as advertised, in fact they are awful and nothing changed from last season to the Minn game. This is part of the fun, watching programs rise and others fall ... SC is falling.

Notre Dame at Michigan: Michigan looked bad in their win but it was week one and rained all game long, they even called the game which was odd. ND struggled against SoFl and probably won't be able to hang with Michigan. Should be an interesting game to watch, if ND wins then Michigan will probably spend the rest of the season trying to figure out why they can't crack the top 25 ... and if ND losses then Michigan will more than likely be elevated in the rankings to a position they don't deserve.

Northwestern State at LSU: LSU should have a cake walk on Sat, I'm more worried about having to play MissSt a few days later. I don't like this scheduling. MissSt is too good to face 5 days after playing a game, even if it's against N'Western St. All LSU can hope for Sat is to stay healthy and get some PT for the backups, preparing for MissSt I assume is going on this week.

Tulane at Tulsa: Tulane won and Tulsa lost, but it's not that simple. Tulane scored a ton of points against a team that is not Oklahoma. Tulsa lost to Oklahoma, and clearly OU was giving Tulsa payback for the previous matchup in which OU had to win in the final minutes of the game. I don't think Tulane has a shot against Tulsa (which next to SoMiss and Houston, is easily one of the better teams in CUSA) ... but I will be cheering for the Green Wave!

Good game on now, AriSt vs Mizzou. AriSt's QB is huge, built like a tank. Arizona St is either wearing their pro-combat unis or some weird alternate uni. They are not bad, just too black and hard to see ... also, AriSt has some pretty nice unis anyway.